Happily Ever Christmas

~Twelve~

I heard something behind me and I spun around, my back to the Christmas tree now.

He was dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and a plain black T-shirt.

His dark eyes dropped from my face to the passport I still held in my hand. "So you're a snoop. Okay, good to know."

"You're name's not Steve Coleman." I stated, raising the passport at him accusatorily. "What else have you lied about? Are you even really a defense attorney for juvenile delinquents?"

Steve - excuse me, Nick - sighed and scratched at the back of his head. "I was, once upon a time. I'm not anymore and I am sorry for lying about my name. I didn't want to overwhelm you at first and when you saw me and immediately shouted out my true identity, I didn't want to...push things."

My eyebrows knitted in tight together and I dropped his passport into his suitcase like it had just suddenly turned into a snake. "What the hell are you saying? 'Cause you should really just say it before I call the police!" I already had my phone in hand.

Nick looked into my eyes, holding my gaze unwaveringly. "I'm Santa Claus."

*~*~*~*

I stared at him for a moment longer, unblinking, then I let out a harsh laugh. "Okay, I'm calling the cops. You need to go back to the loony bin, buddy, sorry, but this crazy Christmas train stops here for you."

Nick sighed then crossed the room towards me.

I leapt back, bumping into the tree and making the ornaments rattle. I held my phone against my chest now in alarm.

He stopped and held up his hands. "Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you, Emberly, honey. I would never hurt you."

The tender quality of his voice worked its sinister magic on me, compelling me to melt, but I resisted like a champ.

I couldn't allow myself to swoon for this enigmatic Lothario.

"Stay back, I'm serious!" I shouted at him in a loud whisper. I wasn't sure I wanted to wake up the whole house yet or not. "Why should I believe a word you say? You can't seriously believe that you're Santa Claus!"

He gave me a look, like I was the one being hysterical. "I know it's a lot for your rational adult mind to grasp, but you said it yourself when you first met me, that must mean that somewhere deep down...that you remember me. You recognize me, don't you, Emberly?" Nick took another step, slowly moving towards me. "We met when you were just a little girl, remember? You asked me to make your parents stay together and I had to explain to you that I couldn't grant your wish."

Another step closer and he gave me a small, kind, sad sort of smile as he gazed down at me. "I'm sorry that didn't work out, by the way."

I shook my head, my brain shutting down in refusal to register what he was telling me. "You-you've been stalking me, breaking into my home-!"

He grinned at me quite roguishly then. "I admit, I crossed the line last year when I kissed you. You were upset and drunk and vulnerable and I should never have taken advantage of that. But I can't find it in myself to regret it." His sparkling blue eyes dropped to my lips then and I felt them part involuntarily for him. "I want to kiss you again." He confessed softly.

*~*~*~*

My mouth was just sort of hanging open at this point. "No." I whispered. I could practically feel my eyes dilating.

"I'm not going to." He frowned at me a little.

"Look...I want you to leave. Just get out of here. Get!" I told him, but my voice sounded faint, even to me.

"Emberly, I know it's a lot, but I need you to believe me. I need you to listen to me-"

"Then prove it! If you want me to believe this insanity, you have to prove it!" I said, starting to breathe quick and shallow.

He sighed, then went to the window, pushing back the heavy bronze colored curtains. "You want proof? Here you go, this is one of my magical specialties." He snapped his fingers and as I focused on the view outside the window, I realized that it had just started to snow.

I moved my eyes back to his face. "So it's snowing. It's New England! We're long overdue on snow."

He sighed. "You think it's just a coincidence?"

I shrugged expansively. Sure it was practically blizzarding outside when a moment ago there had been clear skies, but of course that was just a coincidence! Why wouldn't it be?

Magic didn't exist.

Santa Claus didn't fucking exist!

Right?

*~*~*~*

Steve - Nick - Santa Claus; whoever he was - was staring at me, waiting for me to come to grips with what he was telling me.

He took another step closer to me. "Forget what you've been taught to believe. Deep down, you know what's real here, and I think that you know you can trust me, too."

I shook my head. "What do you want? I don't understand why you're here. What do you want with me and my family?!"

"I would love to tell you, Emberly, I've been waiting so long, but I think it best if I show you. Forgive me, the way I travel isn't exactly comfortable for humans so I'm going to make you fall asleep, just for a little while."

"What?! No! Wait!"

Nick suddenly withdrew something, though, from seemingly out of nowhere and held it in front of my face.

It was a snow globe.

I had only a thin sliver of time to register what it was; it was a large snow globe with a little Christmas village scene trapped within it, then, before I could do much as say another word, my eyes were rolling back in my head and I could vaguely feel my body collapsing bonelessly to the floor.

Nick caught me as I fell and the last thing I was aware of were his strong arms closing around me and lifting me up off my feet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you all so much for reading! Happy #holidayreads!

Also, can we all take a moment to praise the inventors of the gray sweatpants?

HRH